Process of chloridizing ores.



A. D. LEDOUX. PROCESS OF CHLORIDIZING ORES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.13, 1912.

1,082,599; I Patented Dec. 30, 1913.

1 UUULIUUUU UUULIUUUU UNITED srn'ias Pei-ism QFEECE, j

AUGUSTUS D. LEDOUX, OF SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY.

PROCESS OF CHLOBIEIZING BEES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known t-hatI, AUoUs'riJs D. LEnoUx,

a citizen of the United States, residing at cinders resulting from the roasting of copper bearing ores, such, for instance, pyrites, and ,in illustration of its nature and purpose the description of the accompanying specification vWill be confined to such process.

The art of treating ores and residues containing sulfur for the purpose of rendering certain metals which they contain, such as copper and silver, susceptible to subsequent solution and recovery has been carried out in various ways, amongthem being the extensively used process of heating the mix:- ture of ores or residues with a suitable pro portion of chlorid of sodium, and subsequentl y lixiviating the chloridized material.

The mixture of ore or residues containing only a small proportion of sulfur, with salt, requires the application of heat from an extraneous source to induce chemical reaction, and this has heretofore been effected either through direct contact with combustion gases, or by heating the m ipture in an i n closed hearth or Inufile, through the walls or which the heat of the gases is communicated. In such processes, however, it is essential that the heating should not be excessive, and since the temperature is due to the combined effects of the applied heat and that of chemi cal reaction, special precautions must be ob served, for any excess beyond that requisite for proper chloridizing obviously involves a- .waste of fuel, and leads to danger of loss through vaporization of the volatile chlorids of the metals which may be formed, and also to the formation of insoluble compounds.

Specification of Letters Patent.

- To prevent the deleterious effects of overheating, a custom of long standing was to add the salt to the roasted ore after the lattcr has passed the zone f direct heating of the combustion gases, or, in furnaces in which the ore is roasted for sulfur removal,

the salt has been added during the last stages of that roasting, and thoroughly incorporated by rabbling. The mixture was then discharged into another compartment or receptacle through an automatically op erating opening and closing device which prevented the gases developed by chemical- Iatented Dec. 3%, 1913.

7 Application filed August 13, 1912. Serial No. 714,783.

reaction from passing into the furnace from such compartment. The mixture contained 1s said second compartment, under such cir cumstances, became chloridized without further application of heat from any entranc ous source. It has also been proposed to ex pedite the reaction by rabbhng or mechanically stirring the mixture after it has passed into the second compartment-l Chloridizing being dependent upon the application of heat toinduc chemical reaction, the roasted ores must first be heated and salt added, or the previously mixed ore and salt must be heated to start reaction, and in all cases heretofore. so far as I aim informed, the process has always been can ried on either by heating directly with combustion gases, or in a muille, or by first inducing chemical reaction through direct or muffie heating with combustion gases and subsequently chloridizing in a separate compartment without the application of further heat from an'extraneous source.

My improvement consisis in a continuous process of chloridizing in which the employment or application of heat from an extraneous source, except only such as may be required in the initial application oi such heat to start chemical reaction, is dispensed with, and in which the heat derived from.

- hearths, as may be found desirable, and in the accompanying drawing I have shown such a furnace for purposes of illustration.

The figure is a vertical central section of,

such a device.

A designates the usual or any convenient hopper or-feeding device for introducing the mixture into the furnace.

B, B, B, are the superimposed hearihs or ,compartmen'ts comprising the furnace.

-C is a revolving shaft to which are secured the re s having. teeth set at such an angle thatlthey stir and at the same time advance the tire in its coursethrough the furnace from the point of introduction, over 1 the hearths BB 'and through openings F to the outlets the finished product The openings F .al which the rea one compartm'eht or hearth to those above, 2 although it will be understood that other or special passages for such gases may be provided, if sol; esired.

At the top-of the device is an outlet G through which the gases issue and from which they may be led to a condensing apparatus or otherwise handled. As thus, or as otherwise constructed so that the reaction gases may be utilized to "promote or aid reaction by their heat, the above described serve as passages through apparatus is used incarrying out my proc-- es in the following manner A charge of the mixture to be treated is either introduced and then started in reaction by heat applied in any well known way, or the furnace, previous to the introduction of'a charge may receive a preliminary heat ing with combustion gases. In either case the rakes are;started in rotation with the introduction of the ore and caused to spread, Q stir and advance the same, according to the angle of the teeth, toward the center or periphery of the hearths. The charge passes from the first tothe second hearth through the peripherally located passages F, is again spread, stirred andadvanced to the centrally located passages F through which it drops to the hearth below and. so on to the final discharge. The applied heat" i, combustion starts chemical reaction it" increases as the charge progresses t f iigh the furnace. As soon as reactionha reached the proper degrrand the ehlor'yidizingj process is' well established, the applicatiorlmfif extraneous heat from combustion gases or otherwise is wholly discontinued. the reaction gases alone being thereafter relied upon to fuiinish the heat necessary to induce chemical reaction in the mixture subsequentlydeliveredinto and advanced through the tturnace. The

process thus becomes 4. plete Without the f any extraneous scurc It is, of coursashviuus A aid cit heat free...

ion gases pass freely from' .nuc 1 and. corn process additional chlcrid or ore or both may be introduced at any point according as may be necessary for proper chloridi'zation, and that air may be admitted to the hearths as may be found desirable.

It may be further stated that in the chloridizing of certain classes of ore it may be necessary to more fully conserve the reaction heat, for the better working of the roeess, or in other words, instead of re solely upon the flow of reaction gas thro hfifi the furnace, to more perfectlyextract its heat, in any way well known, to permit of its more. effective application. For example-the waste heat may be employed to raise the temperature of the air admitted to the furnace, and in eneral the means and appliances which ave heretofore been employed to keep the temperature down, in furnaces of the MacDougal type, I may utilize, for the distribution and application 86 of the hot reaction gases or of air heated by them. i

What I claim is 1. 'The process of chloridizing ores of the character herein describedand for the pur- 90 pose set forth, which consists in successively feeding the ore into and through a furnace, heating the initial part of the charge to induce, therein chemical reaction, and thereafter inducing chemical reaction in the fol- 9-5 lowing portions oi. the charge by the heat of the established reaction in the furnace.

2. The process of chloridizing ores of the character herein described and for the purpose set forth, which consists in feeding con- 10C tinuously the ore into and through a furnace, applying to the ore initially introduced, heat from an external source to induce chemical reaction therein, and inducing chemical reaction in the ore thereafter 106 introduced by the heat of the established reaction in the furnace.

3. Theprocess of ehloridizing ores of the character herein described and for the per pose set forth, which consists in successiw-ly 110 feeding ore into and through a furna e. aw,- plying to the ore initially introduced, heat from an external source to induce chemical reaction therein, and heating by the reaction gases the ore thereafter introduced into the 11; furnace.

4.. The process of chloridizimt ores of the character herein described and for the purpose set forth, which consists in successively feeding the ore into and through a furnace, applying to the ore initially introduced, heat from an external source to induce chemical reaction and passing, the reaction. tl J heat the t r i 1,082,599 o I a I pose set forth, which consists in silccessively In testimony whereof I afixmfy signature feeding the ore into and through a furnace in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. inducihg in the ore initially introduce chemical reaction by the heat of combustion 1' AUGUSTUS E -U 5 gases, and heatingthe ore thereafter intro- Witnesses:

duced by the gases from the established re- M. Lawson DYER,

' B. R. Smemmm.

action. 

